Bookbinding systems can deliver bound documents, including books, manuals, publications, annual reports, newsletters, business plans and brochures. A bookbinding system collects a plurality of sheets (or pages) into a text body (or book block) and applies an adhesive to bind the text body to the cover to form a bound document.
The binding strength of the bound media body produced using perfect binding techniques can depend in part on the adhesion of individual sheets of paper to the adhesive material. The edge preparation method of a binding technique can help ensure pages of the resulting bound text bodies are securely fastened. Various methods exist to prepare the binding edges of individual sheets of paper. One edge preparation method involves making spaced slits along the fold line of plural sheets of paper using a large wheel with teeth such that the fold lines form binding edges for the plural stacked sheets of paper.
Another edge preparation method involves milling the folded edges of stacked sheets using a grinder to produce rough edges on the resulting individual sheets.
Other edge preparation methods include notch and burst binding methods. In the notch binding method, notches are made on the folded edges of the sheets by removing small sections of the folded sheets to allow penetration of the adhesive material into the individual folded sheets. Similarly, in the burst binding method, large cuts are made on the folded edges of the sheets to allow penetration of the adhesive material into the individual folded sheets through the cuts.
Heavy and potentially dangerous machinery is used in these methods, and systems for handling paper waste are also employed.